Solon elated over ‘renewed interest’ in medical marijuana bill

The main author of the medical marijuana bill in the House of
Representatives on Tuesday expressed delight over the public’s “renewed
interest” in the legalization of the substance in the country.

Isabela
Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, author of House Bill 6517 or the Philippine
Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act, made the statement following
newly-crowned Miss Universe Catriona Gray’s support for the use of
medical marijuana.

Albano also expressed hope that the bill will
be passed before the end of the 17th Congress as it will provide
patients suffering from serious and debilitating diseases with
alternative medicine.

The bill is currently being considered for second reading approval at the House of Representatives.

Albano
said while there is no counterpart bill in the Senate yet, Senator
Joseph Victor Ejercito, who chairs the Senate Health Committee, threw
his support behind medical marijuana legalization.

“It is time for
us to decide based on evidence. Around the globe, controlled clinical
trials assessed the safety and efficacy of marijuana and its naturally
occurring compounds proving the therapeutic and palliative effects of
cannabis,” he said.

Albano said his bill adopts a very strict
regulatory framework but at the same time promotes the people’s right to
health by ensuring affordable and safe access to medical cannabis.

The DOH will be the
lead regulatory agency, in consultation with the Food and Drug
Administration, while the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency shall have a
key role in monitoring and regulating the dispensation of medical
cannabis in health facilities.

“It (medical cannabis) is available
only to qualified patients with IDs issued by DOH after S3 licensed
doctors have made a full assessment of their medical history and current
medical conditions and who will provide follow-up care,” he said.

Albano,
however, reiterated that his bill does not seek to decriminalize the
use of cannabis or marijuana, nor does it allow smoking.

“This is not about the recreational use of marijuana. What it does is to create a limited and narrow exception to the country’s criminal and civil laws to allow a physician to recommend medical cannabis to patients with serious and debilitating medical conditions,” Albano said.—Source: Filane Mikee Cervantes / PNA.GOV.PH